Leonard Lance won’t make the same mistakes Rodney Frelinghuysen did, ducking his constituents at his district office and avoiding town halls altogether. Lance knows he’s got one of just 23 GOP congressional districts where Hillary Clinton also won in 2016. And he knows DCCC’s had their eye on him for a while now. So Lance hopes to reduce his level of vulnerability in November by showing up, and answering questions in that low-blood-pressure, composed way of his – even if you don’t like the answers. And you won’t. Lance has tacked to the right since the tea party put the scare into Republicans who once fancied themselves moderate. Lance hopes you won’t notice how unsatisfactory his congressional record is, and focus instead on the fact that – unlike the Rodneys of this world – he makes himself available, and shows patience hearing from people who want him out of Congress. Max Pizarro sums up Lance’s town hall style thusly, and it’s perfect: “Kill them with gentility, was the apparent strategy.”

Tomorrow morning, CD7 constituents get another Lance chance; another town hall, in Bridgewater, while further up the district, plans are being made to replace him:

Lance’s town hall, just announced late this week, will be going on as Dems in the northwestern end of the district, Warren County, meet to vote for their favorite to face him in November.

Warren County Democratic Committee Nomination ConventionWhen: Saturday, Feb. 10 at 10:00am (Check-in begins 10:00am, Convention at 10:30am)Where: Masonic Lodge, 275 Route 31, Washington (First Floor)About: All registered Democrats who live in Warren County are welcome. At this meeting Warren County Democratic Committee members will vote to decide which primary candidates will receive the endorsement of the county party.Warren County: Has both CD7 (Republican Rep. Leonard Lance) and CD5 (Democrat Rep. Josh Gottheimer). Warren Committee members who live in both Lance’s and Gottheimer’s districts will be permitted to cast their vote for the CD7 Democratic nominee. Candidates: Peter Jacob, Goutam Jois, Tom Malinowski, David Pringle, Scott Salmon, Linda Weber (Lisa Mandelblatt suspended her campaign this week, swinging her support to Malinowski).Warren County Democrats Website